Even the most fervent optimists in the Washington State fan base cringed at the sight of last year’s Cougar offense. The running game never got on track, and WSU finished 111th in the country in rushing with just over 95 yards a game on the ground. With that said, the strength of this year’s offense appears to be the rushing attack.

Head coach Paul Wulff insists on running a no-huddle offense, but last year it was abandoned for a variety of reasons including personnel issues and injuries. Wulff could struggle to implement the offense again for similar reasons this season, so it may not be a bad idea for him to rely on a clock-consuming ground game instead. Washington State will feature up to five solid tailbacks, including an exciting new transfer and a reliable veteran starter looking to close out his career on a high note.

Senior Dwight Tardy enters 2009 atop the depth chart. The 5-10, 208-pound running back has loads of experience, starting in 26 games during his career. Tardy has rushed for 1,824 yards and scored 13 touchdowns on 421 career carries. Last season, he led the Cougars in rushing with 481 yards and three touchdowns.

Tardy has struggled with injures throughout his career but appears to be 100% entering his senior season. If he is at full strength, the Cougars will have a supremely powerful runner capable of carrying the ball 30+ times a game. As a sophomore, Tardy ran for a career-high 214 yards and two touchdowns on 37 carries against UCLA.

Coach Wulff would welcome that kind of production this fall, and it may be WSU’s most realistic shot at being competitive in 2009. The Walnut (CA) native has never carried the ball more than 145 times in a season, but this could be the year for that total to increase.

While Tardy will start the season as the feature back, he may be pushed for time by an exciting new Cougar tailback that has waited patiently for this opportunity.

Junior James Montgomery spent 2008 earning Scout Team Player of the Year for Washington State. The ultra-talented playmaker transferred from Cal after the 2007 season, and will look to play a key role in Paul Wulff’s offense.

Montgomery is not as experienced as some of the other WSU running backs, but he may be more talented. As a freshman at Cal, he ran for 171 yards on 36 carries (4.8 YPC) and scored two touchdowns. He also caught four passes for 48 yards and one touchdown.

The 5-10 202 pound back brings some much-needed explosion to the rushing unit, and he could even supplant Tardy as the starter if he is as good as advertised.

Montgomery earned great acclaim while in high school. The Rancho Cordova (CA) product ran for more than 4,900 yards and 82 touchdowns during his prep career. He was a Parade Magazine All-American selection and was rated as the No. 14 running back of the 2006 recruiting class by Rivals.com.

The 4-star standout has 4.4 speed and looks like the Cougars best hope for a home run threat this season. He enjoyed a productive spring, and will enter fall camp as a solid number two on the depth chart.

Sophomore Logwone Mitz was Washington State’s second leading rusher as a freshman in 2008. The sturdy Mitz ran for 441 yards and three touchdowns on 90 carries while also averaging almost five yards per carry. Mitz’s most memorable moment to date was his tremendous Apple Cup performance against rival Washington.

In that game, the Redmond (WA) native exploded for a 57-yard touchdown run that was WSU’s longest of the season. He ended the day with 70 yards rushing on only seven carries, and helped his Cougars beat the Huskies. At 6-1 224 pounds, Mitz is a big, physical runner who displays surprising speed in the open field. He led the team in rushing during the spring game with 34 yards on six carries.

Senior Chris Ivory* will enter 2009 hoping to play an injury-free final season. He has been a good back for the Cougars, but only in limited action due to nagging injuries that have occurred throughout his time in Pullman. Ivory has rushed for 534 yards and four touchdowns during his career, including 134 yards and one TD last season.

At 6-0 225-pounds, the Longview (TX) native has great size and hits the whole very quickly. If he can stay healthy, Ivory will solidify the Cougars rushing unit. (*Will not play in 2009; Editor’s Note below)

Other backs competing for time are: Junior Marcus Richmond, senior Chantz Staden, and freshman Arthur Burns.

My Take

Sometimes a coach has to adjust to his team’s personnel. Paul Wulff needs to understand that the no-huddle offense that he wants to run would require a very good quarterback and a gifted offensive line. The Cougars just aren’t built for that yet, and I think it would serve them best to hand the ball to these backs as much as possible.

Tardy is a strong tailback, and the film I have seen on Montgomery is pretty exciting. Hopefully the Cal transfer will be used in a variety of ways because he is a big-time talent.

The offense will struggle again in 2009, but the running game should be the biggest bright spot on the Palouse this season.

* 8/11/2009 Editor’s Note: Chris Ivory was dismissed from the program for violating team rules. Story Here.